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Catalytic pyrolysis of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seeds: circular economy for agro-industrial waste-to-energy in the Amazon
Citation Link: https://doi.org/10.15480/882.17197
Publikationstyp
Journal Article
Date Issued
2026-05-21
Sprache
English
Author(s)
Ribeiro, Haroldo Jorge da Silva
Silva, Nilton Pereira da
Monteiro, Marta Chagas
Pizarro Borges, Luiz Eduardo
TORE-DOI
Journal
Volume
16
Article Number
485
Citation
Catalysts 16 (5): 485 (2026)
Publisher DOI
Scopus ID
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
This study aims to systematically investigate the combined effect of chemical activation of açaí seeds (<i>Euterpe oleracea</i> Mart.), with an aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution at 2 mol·L<sup>−1</sup>, and process temperature by pyrolysis of alkaline activated açaí seeds on the yield of reaction products (bio-oil, gas, H<sub>2</sub>O, and biochar), physicochemical properties (acid value, density, and kinematic viscosity) and chemical composition (hydrocarbons and oxygenates) of bio-oil. Catalytic pyrolysis was carried out in a 143 L reactor at temperatures of 350 °C, 400 °C, and 450 °C, 1.0 atmosphere, operating in batch mode. The NaOH activation played a crucial role in modifying the thermal degradation pathway of the biomass, promoting the formation of specific chemical structures and altering the product yields. NaOH acted as a catalyst, enhancing the deoxygenation of the biomass and stimulating the formation of hydrocarbons. As a result, the yields of bio-oil, water, biochar, and gas varied from 5.77 to 7.20% (by mass), 14.90 to 19.77% (by mass), 41 to 54% (by mass), and 25.33 to 32.03%, respectively, influenced by the increase in temperature. FT-IR analyses indicated the presence of characteristic chemical functions of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenated compounds (phenols, cresols, ketones, esters, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and furans), with an intensification of hydrocarbon signals at higher temperatures. GC-MS analysis identified hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds as the main chemical classes in the bio-oil, showing a strong dependence on pyrolysis temperature. It was observed that hydrocarbon concentration in bio-oil increased from 49.7% to 57.88% (area) with increasing temperature, while the concentration of oxygenated compounds decreased from 13.88% to 6.69% (area), demonstrating that NaOH activation, combined with temperature elevation, favors the formation of hydrocarbons and the reduction of oxygenated compounds, thereby improving the quality of the produced bio-oil.
DDC Class
660: Chemistry; Chemical Engineering
Publication version
publishedVersion
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catalysts-16-00485.pdf
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Main Article
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21.35 MB
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